problem getting into gear but not slave cylinder
 

I've been having intermittent clutch problems for a few weeks now. Sometimes the car will not go into gear at a stop. When I push in the clutch the revs drop.

If the car is stopped and in gear I can feel it want to move as if the clutch isn't pressed in all the way.

The fluid level in the resevoir does not drop, but the fluid gets dark and dirty looking.

I changed the slave cylinder today and bled the system but it is still giving me intermittent problems. It will be lousy one time i start the car and then buttery smooth the next time i start the car.

What should I look into next? Master Cyclinder? Could it be the clutch itself?


IT's on a 95 Begi-S car. Could too much heat in the engine bay cause any of this to happen?

Thanks for your help.

Either a bad master cylinder, a bad slave cylinder, air in the line, or air in the master cylinder.

To me, it's pointless to troubleshoot it at this points. Do the following and it will be perfect, new, and good to go for years to come. Will cost 40 bucks and take a couple hours tops. For the time and money, it's worth the peace of mind.

Remove slave and master cylinder. Clean both and rebuild them. Use pressurized air to flush the line that connects to two together. Dump fluid in the line, then shoot it through with the air till the fluid coming out is clean. Clean resevior for master cylinder. Bench bleed master cylinder very very well. Install slave cylinder. Install master cylinder. Use high grade synthetic fluid. Bleed system being extremely cautious to keep the reservoir on the master full. If it gets too low it will suck in some air, and then it must be removed and bench bleed again.

If you are unfamiliar with any of these process, specifically, bench bleeding, google it. There are some good tutorials on how to do it. My only advice would be when the tutorial says it's good and bleed, do it again to be damn sure. The kits to bleed them can be bought at Autozone for cheap.

I'll give it a try. Thanks!

I could never find a bench bleeding kit at any Autozone I've been to.

If my clutch is working right now w/ grindy shifts (especially grindy shifts when cold) and problems getting into reverse, could there still be air trapped in the MC after 6 months of changing the MC? Should it still be bench bled or just regularly bled?

You have to bench bleed them. If you don't, it won't work right. As you describe. So you have to bench bleed it. They sell the kits at any autoparts store around here. Look around. Or order one online if you can't find one.

Keep in mind it is possible for the flex line to fail. It is not uncommon for the inner liner to deteriorate, causing intermittent problems, while looking fine and not leaking anything externally. I'm sure its cheap to replace while you have stuff of the car.

Not to be a total noob, but where is the flex line located? Closer to the master or slave?

It's cold and I'd rather not go outside and look right now :)

Passenger side of the fire wall, right above the Slave.

Update: I installed a new master cylinder (bench bled and all) and I'm still having problems. The fluid is still getting dark and dirty after just a few days of driving.

I ordered the flex hose and that will be in on Wednesday. I'm thinking the flex hose could be a good possibility. I have a leaky CAS O-ring that I haven't gotten around to changing yet. Since that is in relatively close proximity I'm wondering if some oil and grime is somehow seeping in to that flex hose.

Another clutch problem, and no update?

What happened?

It is still an intermitant problem. I haven't changed the flex hose yet though. It's been happening less and less now. When it does happen I pump the clutch a few times when the car is off and then when i start it again it usually works fine.

Darkness in the fluid usually indicates presence of moisture or the interior rubber pieces of your flex hose are sloughing off into the fluid. When the hose fails completely you won't be able to select a gear to get home...

Please post your location in your details under your screen name. :)

https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t31253/

Read the second post and follow that and it will work.